Simmer Down Cafe — Restaurant in Georgetown

We stopped at Simmer Down Café in Georgetown on a Tuesday for lunch. Thank goodness for Google maps, because I would have totally missed this place. This is not in a traditional strip mall and parking can be a challenge. To get a parking spot, we had to go several buildings away and we were worried that we parked someplace we shouldn’t. If you go during a busy time, be prepared for a search to find a spot to park!

I saw some criticism in other reviews about slow service, and we experienced the same thing. It was during the busy lunch hour, but, wow, the service was very slow. Our server eventually stopped at our table and apologized for the slowness. This is clearly a staffing issue. The servers were hustling to serve customers and also bus the tables after people left and to seat new customers. If you can’t get a timely lunch meal out, then you need more cooks. From talking with our server, the management knows all this and is working to hire more people. I hope they get it fixed soon, because despite the parking headache and the very slow service, the food was great.

We got the Chicken Fried Steak and the Rueben sandwich. My wife got mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese with her CFS. She originally wanted creamed corn, but it wasn’t available. You can clearly tell that the CFS and mashed potatoes are made from scratch in house. It was a thick piece of meat with the perfect level of breading. We both liked the mashed potatoes and white gravy. The mac & cheese was in a white cheese sauce, and I liked it more than my wife. The Rueben was also very good. I would have liked more meat on the sandwich (especially for an $18 sandwich), but it was well put together and tasted great. I got the fries with my Rueben and my wife and I finished them off fairly quickly!

I recommend that you go to Simmer Down Café and give them a try. Be ready to deal with the valid negative criticisms and just go try it for yourself because the food is worth it. They won’t fix the parking problems, but I have high hopes that they will get the staffing fixed. Oh, one last criticism. The system that they use for paying your bill at the table is terrible. You can’t really review your bill before you are handed a small device with even smaller buttons to put in the tip and pay with your credit card. My wife pushed the second tip option, which turned out to be 25%. That’s fine, but she was just guessing when she picked. Come on, this can be made so much easier! Get a new better system! Also, a pet peeve, they add a 3% fee for using a credit card. We didn’t know this until we asked for a printout of our paid bill. Credit card fees are a cost of doing business and should be absorbed in the prices. I’m sure there will be people that disagree, but it’s...

I will start by saying the food was pretty good and we would be go back to eat here... unfortunately, the server we had was not so good. I asked for milk to go in my coffee and he brought out a whole glass of milk and was going to charge us. I flagged someone else down and let her know that I had a feeling he rung in the milk for my coffee as a separate drink and she corrected it. I also orderd a water along with my coffee, which I waited for, never got, and just had to ask again if I could get a glass of water. I did finally get my water after the food came out.

Additionally, when I was ordering I told him which side I wanted with my meal. Per the menu I got one side included. He then asked which other side I wanted because I get 2 sides. I looked at him perplexed and said "are you sure l, I think it's just one." He said "yes" and asked which side I wanted for my second side. I picked another one. When the bill came out he charged us for the second side, when he specifically said it was included. I didn't even finish the second side and we didn't want to go through the hassle of asking to correct another mistake.

We then noticed that we were charged for the side that came with the pancakes that my boyfriend ordered. Same thing we didn't want to go through the hassle so we left it.

Finally, my boyfriend asked for key lime pie to come out after the meal when he first placed his order. The check came out but no pie. We waited a minute to see if it would come out, but it never came. The pie was on the check so we got billed for it. My boyfriend finally just asked for the pie, which the young man brought out in a to go container.

I'm not sure which server it was because he never told us his name.

If we were to come back and we got him as a server again, we would probably just order a coffee, as to not be rude, and leave to go elsewhere.

Lovely little cafe,...

Have been eating at Simmer Down for years, and had a standing brunch date here on Fridays..until 4/30/21. The week before, the food was lukewarm and chicken was tough. Since we’re usually satisfied with the quality of the food, we returned to give the place another chance. This time, an unhappy server came to our table to get our drink order. I explained that the last 2 times I’d been there, the soda was flat. And that the last server told me he poured it from a pitcher. (I was wanting soda, just carbonated!) The server told me they’d run out of Coke/Diet Coke, so I ordered water instead. She stormed off without taking my friend’s order, to complain to a coworker. Since only a partition separates the kitchen from the dining area, and the server was speaking angrily and loudly, customers could hear everything she was saying! She was yelling that I’d had an attitude ever since coming in (we were celebrating my retirement & were in good moods!) & that I was complaining about the drinks. Other customers were alarmed and listening as she kept complaining. So I went to the other side of the partition and told her she didn’t have to worry about it, because we were leaving and wouldn’t be back! At that point, her coworker yelled, “Good; Go!” The staff and/or Mgt obviously don’t care about customer loyalty, or the fact that so many of us supported this restaurant when so many others closed during COVID. And what other wait staff have you ever heard yell about customers within ear shot of everyone in the restaurant! I have always patronized local businesses & will continue to do so. However, the message received here was loud and clear! This is one place that will no longer get my business! There are enough other choices available in Georgetown who appreciate...